


I Will Always Find You

by pirateherokillian (Pirateherokillian), xHookedonKillianx



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Captain Swan 2.0, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-11
Updated: 2019-12-02
Packaged: 2020-01-11 21:13:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,965
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18432224
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pirateherokillian/pseuds/pirateherokillian, https://archiveofourown.org/users/xHookedonKillianx/pseuds/xHookedonKillianx
Summary: History has shown that no matter the realm or reality, Killian Jones and Emma Swan will always find each other. Detective Rogers feels he's the lonely exception to the rule until a simple wish changes his perceptions entirely.





	1. Hope and a Wish

**Author's Note:**

> Here's the lovechild born of one innocent meta and _many_ excited discussions between xHookedonKillianx and myself regarding Captain Swan 2.0 (AKA Detective Rogers and Wish!Emma Swan). 
> 
> Before we begin, it's understood that this isn't, or won't be, everyone's cup of tea. There's absolutely no issue if you're not into this kind of Captain Swan story. That being said, hate or aggression won't be tolerated here and comment moderation has already been turned on just in case. Just keep that in mind before sending anything that could be construed as bad form.

It was impossible not to notice the way his alternate self watched Emma. Killian had always been very aware of the men who were drawn to his true love, other versions of himself included. He’d never been possessive of her - she was never some trinket and certainly could make her own choices. But there had always been some underlying current of attentiveness that coursed through him, most obviously when another Killian Jones was in the picture. 

Because if there was one thing he had come to understand in his mind boggling journey with Emma Swan, she loved Killian Jones. Every part  _ and _ every version of him. 

Detective Rogers was no exception. 

For it was another impossibility that the deaged version of himself from the Wish Realm wouldn’t end up in their lives. It had been strange at first, having a second Killian around Storybrooke at all times. Trying to a degree. But it had been all too obvious very quickly that Rogers didn’t have many people in his life he could consider close. And who could one be closer with than his own self?

They weren’t identical. Not even remotely. For one, Rogers had lived well beyond Killian’s Cora-cursed years. He’d had a daughter of his own, now grown and with her own true love. He’d gone through the hell of a poisoned heart, a curse Killian couldn’t even begin to fathom now that Hope was in his and Emma’s lives. Not to mention the giving up on rum…

And yet, down to their core they were kindred spirits. Shared the same past, were taken under by the same vices, and ultimately were driven by the same motivations and forces. Revenge, loyalty, stubbornness… love.

Perhaps it  _ was _ Killian’s journey with Emma or perhaps it was because he was finally confident and comfortable with his life, within his own skin, as a married man and now father. But the attentiveness he now had towards Rogers with Emma hadn’t given way to the usual jealousy all other versions of himself had provoked in the past.

It had given way to understanding. 

“A marvel, isn’t she?” Killian murmured as he lightly rubbed Hope’s back with his blunted wrist, Emma having just handed her off post-feeding to go change. He was seated in the kitchen, where the three adults had been eating dinner before Hope had cried out in hunger, eyeing his doppelganger across the table. 

“What?” Rogers’ head whipped around from where he had been staring at Emma trail up the stairs, startled. Blue eyes identical to Killian’s went slightly wide. 

Killian nodded his head in the direction his wife had gone. “Emma…” His eyebrow raised up knowingly, but Hope chose that moment to finally spit up and and he carefully adjusted her over to the other side and shrugged the dirty towel onto the tabletop. When he was certain she was settled in comfortably against his left shoulder, he returned his attention to Rogers. The man looked like some prey being cornered by a predator. “Bloody brilliant, she is.” 

“Aye,” A red hue broke out over Rogers’ cheeks and he dropped his gaze to the table. “She… I’m...” He winced and shook his head, the shame in his voice matching his chastised look. “Mate, I’m sorry.” He looked up again, eyes now expressly apologetic. “I have no place to… I mean… she’s not… Emma is  _ your  _ true love-”

“Aye,” Killian repeated the same affirmation, effectively cutting off Rogers’ rambling. “She is.” He gave a nod. “And if there is anything my harrowing adventures these past several years have taught me,” He paused a moment as Rogers watched nervously. Killian shrugged the shoulder Hope wasn’t sleeping against and offered a soft, knowing smile. “Captain Killian Jones is unquestionably drawn to Emma Swan.”

\-----

“So you wanna tell me what happened?”

Killian paused while exiting the still slightly steamy bathroom, his hand stopping the towel he was brushing through his damp hair. He took in his wife lounging on the bed. She was on her side, head propped up in her hand with the baby monitor resting next to her, eying him expectantly. 

“What happened with what?” He questioned back. He had an inkling he knew what she was referring to, but wanted to be sure they were about to broach a particular subject before he admitted to anything. He draped the towel over the edge of the hamper and moved over to his nightstand. He could feel Emma’s slightly exasperated gaze on him as he maneuvered his wedding ring back onto his right ring finger. 

“You know exactly what…” Emma shifted over towards his end of the bed, tucking the monitor against her side as she went, to try and catch his attention. It worked, Killian’s eyes drifting over to her slowly. “Or more like  _ who _ I’m talking about. What did you say to Rogers tonight?”

“What makes you say-”

Emma rolled her eyes. “Killian, he barely got out an awkward goodbye before he booked it the hell out of here after I came back downstairs.  _ Please _ don’t tell me you let your silly jealous side out tonight…” She whined as she flopped back against the pillows. “You know with Alice moving in with Robin, Rogers doesn’t have a lot of people to really spend time with and it’s not  _ his fault  _ that-”

Placing a gentle hand over her mouth to quit her unnecessary speech, Killian gave Emma a patient look. “I know, darling. I assure you my ‘silly jealous side’ was not in play tonight.” She made a face behind his hand and he raised an eyebrow challengingly. “Are you doubting my honor?”

She rolled her eyes again and pushed his hand from her mouth. “No, of course I’m not.” Killian eyed her a moment then stepped back to pull his side of the covers down. “At least, I’m not doubting your sincere intentions.” Killian paused to give her a slightly affronted look. “Babe, you know what I mean.” She whined again as Killian returned to climbing in bed beside her. “I know you.”

Killian nodded as he settled back against the pillows and headboard. “Aye, I know me too. I know how  _ I _ feel about you, Swan.” He turned his head to give her a serious look. “That’s what happened tonight.”

Understanding shifted the look on Emma’s face immediately and she bit her lip as she glanced down at the top of the comforter.

“So I’m right in assuming you’ve noticed the way Rogers looks at you?”

“Yeah…” Emma sighed awkwardly. Then her face grew wistful, and her tone matched as her words continued. “Reminds me of a pirate after saving Henry from Neverland.”

“My point exactly, Emma.” Killian leaned in closer to her as her green eyes glanced upwards at him. “Only this time, there won’t be some quiet moment outside of Granny’s where what he has so agonizingly been hoping for comes to pass. There’s no happy ending for him.” He stopped as a gurgle comes over the baby monitor.

They both looked down at it, waiting to see if Hope was waking or simply making noise in her sleep. When it became clear it was the latter, Killian continued talking again.

“He has his daughter,” He murmured softly, still looking at the device. “An important piece to the puzzle of his life, without question.” Tears were stinging in his eyes, and he didn’t feel it right to wipe them away, as he returned his focus to Emma. His heart felt lighter instantly seeing her eyes were watery too. Not for her pain, but for the understanding and connection they always shared. It compelled him to keep going.

“And you know I would do anything I had to for Hope. Nothing could ever stop me from giving her my very best,” The conviction in his voice made Emma smile despite the serious moment. “But even the very  _ thought _ of trying to get through this life without  _ you _ at my side destroys me. Has quite literally destroyed me in the past, come to think of it.”

Killian smiled slightly as she shoved at him, lightening the mood a little. He looked slightly guilty as the moment passed. “I didn’t mean to make him feel uncomfortable tonight. I was merely expressing an understanding and…” He shook his head and reached over to take her left hand in his, letting his thumb brush over the two rings there. “Hurting for something he can never have.”

Pulling her hand from his, Emma carded her fingers up through his still-damp hair and then brought them to rest on the back of his neck. She pushed herself up and pressed her forehead to his. Killian’s eyes fluttered closed, tears dropping down his cheeks, as she kissed him softly.

“I wish it didn’t have to be this way.” He mumbled after a quiet moment passed between them.

Emma pulled back and offered him a sad smile. “Me too, babe.”

\-----

It turned out, they weren’t the only ones who wished things were different.

“My papa likes you.”

Killian instinctively reached out to steady Emma as she almost fell off the edge of his desk at the station at the sudden intrusion of Alice Jones in her personal space.

“What the-”

Before Emma could get out whatever expletive he knew was likely coming, Alice continued on while throwing herself into the chair a desk over.

“But he can’t have you because of the other him,” She waved her hand at Killian this time. “Which is you. And I know he’s sad and alone. Not sad and alone like he was, of course, because we can be together now, but not like _together_ like before because I’ve got Robin and…  He’s _not_ unhappy, mind you… he’s just not what he _could be_. **_Should_** be. He’s not…” This time Alice waved her hand to indicate both of them with a frustrated huff before collapsing back against her seat again and crossing her arms like she was five.

Emma glanced over at Killian, who still had his hand on her back. They shared a look before glancing at Rogers’ daughter.

“Good morning, Alice.” Killian offered at the same time Emma said ‘Been in the coffee again, huh?’. He gave her a slight pinch at the sass, causing her to swing back and slap him unseeing on the shoulder.

Alice sprung forward in her seat again, holding out her hands towards them. “This is what I mean. You have each other, like Robin and I have, and,” She pushed up from her seat and paced across the floor, tapping her fingers on her lips. “My papa never really had… I mean, there was the Milah lady…”

Killian instinctively tensed at the name and this time Emma’s hand reached around and squeezed at his hand still on her back.

Oblivious to the moment, clearly lost in her thoughts, Alice kept rambling. “I just… I want him to be the very best he can be. I wish-” She seemed to lose steam suddenly and both Killian and Emma started to move to provide whatever support the girl needed. But then she jolted just as suddenly, head snapping up and eyes wide. “I wish!”

“Alice…” Emma’s voice was hesitant, almost warning. “You don’t wanna-”

Grinning, Alice practically skipped past them. “Thanks for the chat, favorite not-mama and not-papa!” As quickly as she had appeared before them, she was gone from the station.

Emma immediately started to go after her. “Alice, wait!”

But Killian was just as quick to grab a hold of her wrist and gently pull her to a stop. “Hold up, darling.” He said slowly, his mind working through the scenario he was sure was about to play out. “Perhaps we shouldn’t be so hasty.”

Green eyes flashed sharply. “You can’t be serious, Killian?! We can’t let her use magic to-”

“To make something come to pass?” Killian finished with an eyebrow raise. “And what if someone had stopped Neverland’s magic from keeping me alive for centuries? Or the tree’s magic from sending you to this world?” Emma slouched, her lips pursing and arms crossing as she caught on to what he was implying.

Still, Killian continued. “Or Cora’s magic from once again keeping me from aging? Or the hatter’s portal from dropping you in the Enchanted Forest?”

“Or two enchanted cuffs that helped us climb a beanstalk.” Emma nodded petulantly. “Yeah, I get it, Hook.”

Ignoring her obvious annoyed jab, Killian stepped in closer to her. He brought his fingers up to brush under her chin. The childish look she fluttered up through her lashes at him only warmed his heart more.

“Magic has always played its part, my love. I think we need simply need to step back, let it and a little…” He pressed a small kiss to her nose. “ _ Hope _ run its due course.”

Emma rolled her eyes at what he was making quite clear, but still reached up and tugged on the collar of his jacket playfully. “You’re awfully fucking persuasive, you know that pirate?”

Grinning cheekily, Killian scrunched up his nose slightly. “I know.”

With a grin herself, Emma pressed up on her toes and smacked a quick peck on his lips. Then her look grew serious once again as she settled back to the floor. “This is gonna be big damn trouble for everyone, though.”

“Aye, well…” Killian squinted and glanced over her shoulder thoughtfully. “It wouldn’t be us if it was  _ easy. _ ”

  
  



	2. I Know You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It’s finally here, my part to the Captain Swan-2.0 collab that I’m doing with the ever lovely @pirateherokillian. This comes from hours of us talking back and forth and agreeing that Rogers deserves his true love! We hope you like it!
> 
> Before we begin, it's understood that this isn't, or won't be, everyone's cup of tea. There's absolutely no issue if you're not into this kind of Captain Swan story. That being said, hate or aggression won't be tolerated here and comment moderation has already been turned on just in case. Just keep that in mind before sending anything that could be construed as bad form.

In the months since moving to Storybrooke, Rogers has found that working in their station is… _different_ than working in Hyperion Heights. For starters, there’s less car thefts and more magical mischief. Just the other night he made a report after Sister Merryweather called and stated there was a curse placed on her garden. She suspected it was Lily and Maleficent, but without evidence, Rogers told the little fairy the only thing he could do was have a talking with them. He wasn’t even sure how to file the report, but then he found the filing cabinet designated for _cursed_ crimes Emma had made and he figured it out from there.  

Another thing that’s different is in Hyperion, he was used to working alongside several people, whereas in Storybrooke, he only works with his other self and his wife, Emma Swan. The same woman that saved his life despite the fact that he planned on tricking her into giving him a true love’s kiss to cure his then poisoned heart.

Rogers has to admit, at first, he was worried it would be awkward, that she and her husband would still hold a grudge, but the day he pulled up in front of their house with Alice and Robin in his car and Henry in his own, all those worries washed away. He remembers how Emma wobbled up to him—after she finally let her son go—with her full pregnant belly and pulled him into her arms, eager to meet Alice and showing nothing but happiness that they were able to be reunited.

Killian was a bit of a different story. Knowing, well, _himself_ , Rogers knew that Killian still felt a certain way toward him, and it might take a while for things to be alright between them, and he was okay with that. It was just recently—after Hope was born, in fact—that Rogers felt the tension wash away between them and they became somewhat, friends.

Not like he and Emma are, but still it’s nice to not have a version of himself glaring at him every day.

The clock tower in the distance begins to chime and Rogers closes the file he’s working on and rubs his eyes. He doesn’t have to stay, technically, his shift ended an hour ago, but there’s nothing waiting for him at the loft except for cold leftovers and a World War One documentary he hasn’t watched yet. Unlike Hyperion, there’s no one waiting for him with jars of marmalade as they cut up old magazines to make little dolls, there’s just silence.

He understands, Alice and Robin are married, of course they want their own space, and it’s not like he can’t see his daughter anymore. Every day they have lunch together and most nights they have dinner, only not that night because Alice and Robin were babysitting little Hope while Emma and Killian went out for a little date.

Much needed, as Emma explained to him earlier. They hadn’t been out since before Hope was born and Rogers knows all too well the need to have only a couple hours to yourself after being with a newborn every hour of the day.

Though, he didn’t have someone to spend those couple hours with when he was afforded the luxury.

Shaking his head, Rogers pushes himself up from his seat and decides to call it a night. He picks the file up he was working on and walks into the office to place it on Emma’s desk, his eye catching the picture in the corner before he turns to leave. It’s a picture of Henry, Killian, a just born Hope, and Emma.

He’s still amazed at how much Hope looks like Alice when she was first born and it’s not the first time he wishes there were photos available in the Enchanted Forest. However, he does have the drawing Henry did for him and that’s just as good.

Rogers smiles to himself as his eyes move to Emma’s face. Exhaustion is clear on her face, but the way she’s smiling brightens the picture and it’s only after his cell phone starts to ring that he realizes he’s been staring again. He needs to learn how to stop that, not only for himself but for Killian. He’s lucky that that Killian merely commented the other night when Emma invited Rogers for dinner, he’s lucky he wasn’t thrown out on his ass.

Because Emma Swan is _his_ true love, Rogers knows this, and he would never wish to come between that. But there is something about the lass, she’s become a dear friend to him, a wonderful aunt to his daughter, and sometimes he can’t help but think… what if.

What if there had been an Emma in his world?

But there wasn’t… Emma Swan was the Emma in his world, and she’s taken, and Rogers is lucky enough to have her as a friend.

“Hello, starfish.”

_“Papa.”_

The tone in her voice alerts him right away, it’s the same tone she’d get when she was little, and something would scare her.

“What’s wrong?”

_“I need you to come to Aunt Emma and Uncle Killian’s… now.”_

* * *

When Rogers pulls up outside of the Jones household, he finds his daughter standing there, bouncing a wide awake Hope in her arms while her wife, Robin, has her bow and arrow pointed at the front door.

He rushes out of his car, and runs forward, not missing the look of relief that falls across Alice’s face when she spots him.

“Oh, Papa, thank you. I know Aunt Emma said to call her, but I didn’t want to disturb them.”

“It’s alright, love.” He presses a kiss to her forehead and runs a hand down Hope’s tiny back after she squeals at him. The little girl begins to squirm to get to him, too young to realize he’s not her father and he motions to the house. “What happened?”

“We took Hope out for a walk down by the docks,” Robin says over her shoulder. “When we got back, the front door was open, and we saw someone moving around inside.”

“Did you go in?”

“No,” Alice answers while she continues to sway back and forth with Hope in her arms. “I know Aunt Emma said there’s a charm on the house, but since we have Hope with us…”

Rogers nods. “You did the right thing, love. Stay out here, I’ll check it out.”

He pulls his gun from its holster the second he’s on the porch and holds it up as he pushes his way through the front door. At first glance, nothing seems to be out of place, and he turns toward the kitchen—the same kitchen Emma invited him to have dinner in after work the other night with her and her husband—when he hears a noise to his right. With his brow furrowed, he lifts his gun higher and takes a step toward the sound.

“Whoever is here, you’re trespassing on private property. Come out with your hands up!”

A thick silence falls over the house and Rogers moves forward with his gun still drawn. There’s a soft noise from the den and he rushes up, pushing the side door open to see a person standing before the window wearing a dark cape, with the hood up over their head.

“Freeze!” The figure doesn’t move, and Rogers takes another step forward. “Put your hands up.”

He waits a moment as the figure begins to slowly lift its hands in the air, and just as Rogers steps closer, the figure twists to him and a knife flies through the air. He just barely has time to duck out of its path before running toward the figure as it tries to jump out the window.

“Stop!” Rogers grabs the person by the arm and yanks them around while growling, “You’re under ar—”

He stops as the hood falls back and the figures face is shown to him for the first time.

“Emma?”

The blonde smirks at him and it makes him miss her right hand coming up to connect with his face. The pain is instant and Rogers stumbles back, his right eye watering while he reaches up to cover it. The person— _Emma_ —shoves him and Rogers falls to the floor, watching as she jumps out of the window and out of his sight.

* * *

Rogers sits on the steps with a rag held up to his eyebrow and the cool wind of the night blowing against his face. The giggles from inside—his daughters followed by little Hope’s—make him smile and he almost moves to wait in there with them, but he doesn’t. It’s better if he tells Emma and Killian without the others around—Alice feels terrible enough as it is.

Also, because he can’t really grasp onto what he saw.

How could Emma be the person he caught? She was out with Killian, and why would she break into her own house? She wouldn’t… which means someone is parading around Storybrooke masking themselves as the savior. There’s a knot that forms in his stomach as the memory of the last time someone masked their appearance from him came to his mind and he’s lucky enough to hear voices in the distant so he’s able to snap his head out of it.

Looking up, his body reacts the way it always does when he sees the man bearing the same face as hi approach with his wife. They aren’t looking at him, they are too busy looking at each other with small smiles and whispered words and it makes Rogers ache just a bit, but he chooses to ignore it. So what if having to see the true love between Emma Swan and this Killian Jones everyday makes him wish for the first time in two hundred years there was someone out there for him to share his life with, he had Alice and that was all he needed in life to be happy.

Pushing himself up off the step, Rogers takes the towel off his eyebrow and stuffs it into his pocket just as the couple catches sight of him.

“Hi, Rogers!” Emma greets, her cheeks a little pink and a relaxing smile tattooed on her lips.

He tries to make his smile relaxing in return, but he knows the second they see right through it and winces when Killian asks, “What’s wrong?”

Rogers take a deep breath and goes into the explanation, but before he can finish, Killian is asking about Hope and Alice before he rushes inside to check on them himself.

After he’s gone, Emma gives a little smile before she raises her hand and taps Rogers brow, healing it instantly.

“Thank you, lass.” She smiles at him and asks what happened. “Well, Alice called me, they had taken Hope for a walk down by the docks and when they got back, they found your door opened and someone inside.”

They begin to walk toward the house, and she asks, “Who in this town is dumb enough to try and steal from the sheriff and the deputy?”

He takes a deep breath and scratches at the back of his neck.

“You?” Emma stops and looks to him with a furrowed brow. “The person that broke into your house was… _you._ ”

“How could it be me?” She asks with a chuckle. “I was out with my husband.”

“I don’t know, lass. Perhaps someone with a charm in case they were caught? But it doesn’t explain why they would run from me.”

“You’re right, they should have just kept up with the charm unless—”

Emma stops talking, her eyes going wide before her head snaps up toward the house.

“Emma? What’s wrong?”

She turns back to him with her mouth slightly open, her eyes still wide and disbelief and blinks.

“Uh, nothing.” She’s lying, he can tell. “Rogers, why don’t you go and see if you can find her? I’ll go get changed and stop by Regina’s vault, she has a charm to detect magic. Call me if you need anything.”

* * *

Not for one second does Rogers regret giving up the Jolly to stay with Alice, if he had to do it all over again, he’d make the same decision without hesitation, but he has to admit, seeing the sails of Killian’s Jolly Roger makes him smile. She’s still as beautiful as the day he first saw her on that beach so many years ago and he’s grateful that Killian allows him to take her out whenever he pleases. He remembers the first time he took Alice out—he’ll never forget the smile that spread across her lips and how she seemed to love the sea as much as he does.

Climbing up onto the plank, Rogers pauses before stepping onto the deck and listens. For a moment, all he hears is the water lapping against the wood and the crickets in the grass, but then there’s the sound he’s looking for. It’s soft, but it’s there and he reaches into his pocket to pull out his cell phone.

It rings twice before she answers.

_“Hey, do you need me to—”_

“I’ve found her,” Rogers says into the phone, cutting her off.

There’s a pause before he hears Emma chuckle softly and his brow furrows.

_“Of course you did.”_

They agree to meet at the station where Emma will bring the charm to detect magic and they hang up. Rogers puts his phone away and goes for his gun. With a deep breath, he steps softly onto the deck of the ship and points his gun to the opening.

“I know you’re down there, and there’s no way out where I won’t catch you,” he calls out. “Come out now.”

He knows without even seeing her that she is debating her choices, she has to be, but unless she wishes to jump out the tiny window in the captain’s quarters and swim away, she’s going to have to listen to him… or punch him again.

A pair of hands appear from the opening and Rogers jaw clenches as she steps up the later, her green eyes locking on his as soon as she emerges. There’s a bored look on her face and her lips press together while she steps onto the deck. Rogers takes a moment to look over her clothes and he notices that they aren’t modern, they are more geared toward the Enchanted Forest and his jaw clenches.

“Who are you?”

The blonde sighs and in the same voice he heard on the phone, she says, “Emma Nolan.”


	3. Who Are You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Before we get into the fic, will say that we know this version of Captain Swan isn’t for everyone and we’re totally fine with that! If you don’t want to read it, or don’t like it, it’s cool to pass this story on by. What we won’t be tolerating is any unnecessary trolling or hate. Comments on AO3 are moderated. Here, i’ll be blocking anybody who can’t respect our creative spaces.

It’s the constant tapping on the bars that finally makes Rogers drop his pen and look toward the cell.

“Can you _please_ stop doing that?”

The woman smirks.

“I was wondering how long it was going to take you to ask me to stop.” Rogers clenches his jaw and looks back down at his paperwork. “Now that you’re talking to me—”

“I’m still not speaking to you.”

“Why is that again?”

Rogers blows out a harsh breath and shakes his head while he keeps his gaze on the file in front of him.

“Until you start telling the truth, I feel there’s no need to continue any conversation.”

“Is that why you locked me in this cell? Because you think I’m lying to you?”

“I _know_ you’re lying to me.” He closes the file and stands. “And you’re locked in that cell because you broke into two residences that were not your own.”

“The ship is a residence?”

Clenching his jaw, he places the file in the cabinet and slams the drawer shut a little harder than necessary, the fierce need to defend Killian’s ship— _his_ ship—bubbling in the back of his throat. 

“More of a residence than you’ll ever know.” She tilts her head at his words, and he feels a flush against his cheeks. 

Though he hasn’t manned a Jolly Roger of his own in quite some time, the familiar need to defend the old girl still resides in his bones. 

She’ll always be a home to him.

Shaking his head, he takes a moment to examine the… _person_ in the cell, refusing to call her the name she claims to be hers. It’s true she wears the face of the Savior, but there are subtle hints of differences Rogers can pick up on. 

Which tells him she’s not who she says she is. She’s just another imposter trying to trick him and that’s something he won’t allow to happen again. 

“It’s no matter, the real Emma is on her way and we’ll find out who you are soon enough.”

She rests her chin against the bars and pushes her arms through as she asks, “You mean the other me that’s married to the other you?”

“There is no other _you_!” He huffs. “There is Emma Swan and then there is whoever you are!”

“Isn’t she Emma Jones?”

“How do you know all this?”

Her eyebrows raise in surprise. “Are you asking me an actual question now?” He stares at her blankly, and she shrugs. “It’s not hard to get information when you have the same face as one of the most popular residents in town.”

Rogers leans back against his desk and folds his arms against his chest. 

“Then why did you break into their house?”

“There was information I wanted that I knew I could only get by going there.” 

“Such as?”

There’s a pause before she answers.

“More about Emma.”

She’s lying, he doesn’t know how he can tell—he hasn’t been able to pick up on it about anything else but can just tell with what she just said.

He feels his frustration growing and hisses, “You know, this will go much better if you just tell me who you truly are.”

“Did I punch you too hard or something, and its made you unable to understand basic words?” He sees her fingers tighten around the bars. “My name is Emma Nolan.”  

“How did you get here?”

Her eyes roll. “Through a portal.”

“Where?”

“How did _you_ get here?” He opens his mouth, but she cuts him off. “Better yet, how did you get so young? I remember you being a _lot_ older and… dirtier.”

Rogers lips part and his eyes widen. How the hell would she know that? His anger tickles the back of his throat and he pushes himself up, intent on giving her a piece of his mind when suddenly the door opens, and the Jones’ walk in the door. 

“Sorry!” Emma rushes out as her and her husband come in. “Killian knocked over an urn and I had to call Regina to make sure the whole town wasn’t going to implode, and you know how hard it’s been trying to get a hold of her since Robin got back.” 

Killian rolls his eyes. “The blasted thing was in the middle of the room; it wasn’t my fault.”

Emma stops suddenly with her eyes going wide.

“Wow,” she breathes out before turning toward Rogers and Killian. “You’re right, this is weird.” 

Both Killian and Rogers make a noise in the back of their throats and Emma rolls her eyes at them like she always does with a small smile on her face. 

“Alright, let’s get this started.”

Emma walks forward and begins to talk to the imposter while Rogers steps closer with his hand on his gun. From the corner of his eye, he sees Killian do the same. For all they know, this was her plan all along, get caught to get closer to the Savior and they need to be ready in case something happens. 

The imposter in the cell looks at Emma with wide eyes. She seems to be examining her as the Savior explains what the magical dirt she brought will do.

With a flick of her wrist, Emma unlocks the cell and Rogers unfastens the holster on his hip.

“So, if there’s any magic being used on you,” Emma explains as the woman slowly steps forward. “The dirt will land on it and it’ll show the barrier, okay?”

The woman nods and Rogers and Killian take another step forward. Emma lifts her hand and the second the dirt leaves her hand, Rogers body goes on high alert, waiting for the attack he knows—

The imposter flinches as the dirt sprays her in the face, little clumps of it sticking to her nose and cheeks as the rest fall to land on her chest and the floor. Rogers watches in confusion, his brows pulling together as Emma mumbles a sorry to the woman before handing her a towel and stepping out of her way without relocking the cell.

“What does that mean?” 

Rogers has the same question, but it’s Killian that asks.

Emma sighs. “It means that there is no magic surrounding her… she’s who she says she is.”

His eyes snap up to the woman to find her looking at him with a smug grin and his anger bubbles over.

“Something must have gone wrong,” he hisses, making Emma look back at him with her eyes slightly wide. “Do it again.”

“Rogers, I—”

“It’s clear she’s only enchanting herself to look like you, Emma! She’s already admitted to using it to her advantage.” The blonde looks to her husband while the person next to her rolls her eyes and leans back against the bars. “What else could it be?”

The woman lifts her hand with a shrug and starts, “Maybe it could be there are two Emma’s like there are two—”

“No!” He hollers, cutting her off. “There _is_ no other Emma. _Emma_ was the other Emma in my world, _you_ were not there! Now stop playing games and reveal yourself, witch!”

He waits for the smoke, he waits for the magic to show the witch’s true face, but before it can happen, Killian steps up to him with his brows high. Rogers tilts his head and Killian motions down, it’s only then he realizes he’s taken his gun out of the holster. Blinking a couple times, he looks up to find two sets of green eyes staring at him with the same look of worry on their twin faces. Killian holds his hand out to him and Rogers stares at it for a moment before he gives him the gun. 

“This isn’t possible,” Rogers mumbles. “How can there be two of them?”

He watches as Killian places the gun on the desk, his eyes moving to his wife before he looks back to him with his lips pressed together.

“We should talk.”


	4. Not So Impossible

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for the delay on this chapter!

Rogers stalks past Killian, making his way into Emma’s office. His doppelganger is soon to follow, quietly closing the door behind him as he enters the glass room. Placing his hands down on the banister running along the bottom of the window, Rogers glares out at the pair of Emmas quietly talking by the still-open jail cell.

“I don’t bloody buy it.” He mutters with a shake of his head. 

“You just saw for yourself...” Killian pipes up from somewhere behind him. 

Rogers spins on his heels to find the other man resting back gently against the desk, his good hand casually gripping his belt buckle. 

“I saw a handful of  _ dirt  _ do nothing.” Rogers argues back, crossing his arms tightly over his chest. “That doesn’t mean a damn thing to me.”

An agitated look crosses Killian’s face. “That  _ dirt _ was a spell recommended by Regina  _ and _ Zelena,” He enunciates their names deliberately. “I know you trust  _ their _ magical abilities since it’s obvious those of my  _ wife _ aren’t enough for you.”   
  
A cold wave of guilt hits Rogers at Killian’s words, making him suddenly realize just how terrible his doubt reflected on Emma. He feels embarrassment flush up hot around his neck and drops his gaze away from the understandably defensive pirate glaring at him. 

“Apologies, mate.” He says contritely. “I wasn’t trying to demean Emma’s exceptional skills.” He looks up and finds blue eyes identical to his own. He shrugs slowly, helplessness weighing him down. “It’s just… this whole thing…” He sighs and turns back to look out the office window once again.

“It not possible.” He mumbles sadly, hating the sudden flutter his heart gives as he takes in the other Emma yet again. “There can’t be two of them.”

Killian steps up beside him. “I believe the fact that you and I are standing here having this conversation shows that there can be.”

Rogers sighs again, shaking his head. “Aye, but what brought me here was an entirely different set of circumstances. It’s not like somebody wished for her…” His voice trails off as his own words sink in. Eyes going wide, he turns them slowly towards Killian.

His other self won’t look at him.

“No…” Rogers whispers. “She wouldn’t. She  _ didn’t _ …”

Again, Killian won’t meet his gaze, instead choosing to stare intently out at each of the Emmas still engrossed in their own intense conversation. 

“Bloody hell!” Rogers gasps as he turns away from the window and trudges over to the desk. He closes his eyes and shakes his head, running his good hand through his hair. “Why would she even…” He turns, at a loss for words momentarily. He slumps down onto the desk, giving Killian an even more helpless look this time. “Why would Alice do something like this?”

Killian, who has finally returned his attention to Rogers, gives him a shrug and a patient glance. “Your daughter is the purest soul I have ever met in all my years.” He offers. “She wants goodness for this world unlike any other… is it any wonder she would want something good for her papa too?”

Rogers gives his head another shake. “ _Alice_ _is_ my good, mate. I accepted some time ago that what _you_ have,” He gestured to Killian with a wave of his prosthetic. “Wasn’t in the cards for me. That for as similar as we are, your happy ending and mine are vastly different. You’ve got Emma and Hope, and I’ve got Alice and…” He looks past Killian at the woman he now understands his own daughter wished into existence. “I didn’t expect or ask for this.”  
  
“And I certainly didn’t expect or ask for an amazing blonde spitfire to pull me from under a pile of carcasses and rattle my entire reason for existing,” Killian confesses quietly as he slowly approaches the desk Rogers is still perched on. He turns and lowers himself down beside the other man and sighs almost dramatically. 

“And yet here I am, some years later, married to that spitfire. The same spitfire that is the mother of my child.” He smiles softly while gazing out the window at his Swan.

“Emma has a way of sneaking up on you like that.”

Rogers goes quiet as he follows Killian’s gaze. For the first time since Regina’s spell had brought them all back to Storybrooke, he finds his attention isn’t immediately drawn to the Savior. Instead he feels a pull to the woman beside her, who has Emma’s face but has her own demeanor about her that’s all her own. The flutter in his heart comes again. It suddenly reminds him of all the years of agony he went through after being cursed by Gothel. Not because it’s similar, but because it’s so vastly different. It’s pleasant… almost intoxicating. 

And it terrifies the bloody hell out of him.

He suddenly rises from the desk, clearing his throat as emotions threaten to take over. He brushes past Killian as he moves towards the door on the other side of the room. The one that leads to the station’s exit.

“Where are you going?” Killian calls after him as he yanks open the door and steps out into the hall.

Rogers stops and spares a glance to the pair watching from the jail cell. Again his eyes are instantly pulled toward Emma’s own doppelganger and his heart does the  _ thing _ . He swallows and turns to give Killian a shrug. 

“Alice and I need to have a bit of a father-daughter discussion.” He mutters somewhere between disappointment and sadness before spinning on his heels and stalking his way out of the station.

**Author's Note:**

> So there you have it, friends! The beginning of the collab between Kristin and myself! The overall story is going to be a collection of connected one-shots, where we will be trading off parts as we go along, instead of a tradition multichapter story. 
> 
> If you have any (untrolly) thoughts or questions, you can find us on Tumblr at [pirateherokillian](http://pirateherokillian.tumblr.com) and [xemmaloveskillianx](http://xemmaloveskillianx.tumblr.com), respectively. And on Twitter at [pirateherojones](http://twitter.com/pirateherojones) and [k_writes_cs](http://twitter.com/k_writes_cs) (also respectively).


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